This summer is HOT and only getting hotter. A lot of us are spending time indoors more than expected to avoid the sweltering heat by sitting in our shady sunroom with the ceiling fan spinning, and a glass of cold tea sweating on the patio table. While your body is completely relaxing, you may be wondering, as you look around, if it's time to spruce up a room or two in your home. If that’s the case, Utopia Alley would like to offer a suggestion—wall clocks.
Seems with all the technology at hand a wall clock might be outdated, smartphone's and all that, however, a smartphone cannot be made into an item to complement your current home decor! Clocks have been a part of our homes for centuries, making them a timeless, yes, pun definitely intended home decor addition. Quite frankly, there is nothing more complimentary to a lazy hot summer day, than the quiet, mesmerizing tick of a wall clock.
Utopia Alley offers some placement ideas for adding clocks to your decor.
Wall Clocks As Focal Points
The main purpose of a wall clock, other than being a decorative element, is to tell the time. That hard for it to do if the clock is too small on a big wall, or if it’s hidden by other wall hangings or decorative items.
Make the wall clock the focal point.
Whether it’s the focal point of the entire room or just the wall it adorns is up to you. Either way, choose a larger clock that can be seen from any angle or location in the room. Then select a location to hang it. If you’re putting the clock up in the living room, above the mantel is an ideal spot as that’s already a focal point in that room.
When choosing a wall clock for this location, make sure it complements the mantel and your other décor. For example, if your mantel is an old-fashioned, hardwood piece, a metal, modern-looking clock may clash. Keep the room’s existing décor in mind when selecting your clock. Once you’ve found the perfect timepiece, center it over the mantel. Balance the look with a few other decorative pieces on either side of the mantel, making sure they’re not so large that they either overpower or obscure the clock.
Why Hang When You Can Lean?
You don't necessarily have to hang your clock either. If you have a wide, sturdy mantel, and you select a clock with enough heft to it, you can just place it on the mantel and lean it against the wall for an informal, casual look. In this case, it’s even more important to make sure any other decorative elements on the mantel don’t overwhelm the clock.
If you don’t have a mantel, or you want the wall clock somewhere other than the living room, a table that sits against a wall can work. You can also install a floating shelf just for that purpose.
Wherever you set the clock, you may want to secure it at the bottom with a small amount of putty to make sure it doesn’t slide off whatever surface you put it on. That’s not how you want to see time fly. To further ensure the clock stays upright, you can select a square or rectangular piece.
The More, The Merrier!
Not keen on having one large wall clock as your room’s focal point, but still want the decorative functionality or the functional decoration? Why not hang a collection of smaller clocks that together become the room’s focal point?
It doesn’t matter whether the wall you choose for this is large or small. Simply adjust the number of clocks to accommodate the space. For a cohesive look, you will want to select clocks of similar style, whether contemporary or traditional, wood or metal, and so on. If you do hang a group of clocks, just make sure they’re synchronized. The last thing you want is 15 clocks all announcing the hour at different times.
Choose Unconventional Locations
When you’re thinking about where to hang a wall clock, you’re probably listing rooms such as the living room, family room, den, home office, and the kitchen. Well, what about the bathroom? Or the laundry room? Or the garage? If you’ve taken any time to not only decorate but organize any of these rooms in your home, a wall clock can be a logical and useful addition.
Think about it. When you’re doing laundry, you may want to make sure your load will be done drying by the time you have to leave to pick up the kids from school. A quick glance at the wall clock will tell you how much time you have to finish up. Working on the car or some crafts in the garage? You won’t lose track of time with a handy wall clock hanging over the door. And the bathroom? Well, a wall clock can be just another decorative element there, provided you choose one that goes with the bath’s color scheme. Why not?
Put Up A Conversation Piece
Want to get your guests talking? Hang up a cuckoo clock. Or a clock that looks like it came out of a Salvador Dalí painting. Or an abstract clock with no numbers on it. Or a clock with a magnetic sphere that moves around the face in place of hands.
There’s no reason to stick to a traditional clock when there are so many styles, shapes, and sizes to choose from. Find something unique that speaks to you, and is a reflection of your home’s—and your—personality.
Then it won’t matter whether we’re in the digital age or not. Your wall clock will be an integral and truly timeless part of your home.
it was interesting when you mentioned how wall clocks can be the focal point of the room if you choose a large one that can be seen from any angle or location in the room. Coincidentally, I found an old wall clock in the basement that’s large enough to suit our living room well. I’ll take note of your tip while I get the clock repaired by a professional service soon. http://www.johnagillclockrepair.com